


The simplicity of play

by Jadzia_Bear



Category: Star Trek: Picard
Genre: (Literally and figuratively), Cotton Candy, First Kiss, Fluff, Hugh | Third of Five Lives, M/M, cliche romantic ferris wheel ride i'm so sorry, they're all on la sirena just go with it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:47:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23427955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jadzia_Bear/pseuds/Jadzia_Bear
Summary: When Elnor finds out that Hugh has no happy childhood memories, he does what he can to make things right. Who would have thought it would bring them so close together?
Relationships: Elnor/Hugh | Third of Five
Comments: 28
Kudos: 62





	The simplicity of play

**Author's Note:**

> Because Hugh deserves all the happiness

“Hugh, may I ask how old you are?” Elnor asks one day over lunch.

Hugh tries not to smile at Elnor’s overly polite choice of words. He’s getting better and better at not unintentionally offending people. It reminds Hugh of himself when he was first learning to be an individual.

Hugh sets his fork down. “I don’t really know. Birthdays aren’t something the Collective bothers to keep track of.” He laces his fingers together on the metal tabletop. “I know I spent time in a maturation chamber to speed up my growth when I was a child, so my guess is that I’m actually younger than I look.”

Elnor’s perfect brows furrow. “You missed out on having a childhood?” he asks.

Hugh shrugs. “If I had one before I was assimilated, I don’t remember it.”

It’s something he’s contemplated before, how sad it is that he doesn’t have any childhood memories. But, like so many things about his life, he tries not to dwell on it.

Elnor drops his soup spoon into his bowl with a clatter and grabs Hugh by the shoulders. “We have to fix this,” he declares.

He jumps up, tugging Hugh out of his seat by the arm. “Come on!”

* * *

Outside the holodeck, Elnor scrolls quickly through the available programs.

“Elnor, what are we doing?” Hugh asks, trying not to sound exasperated. (It’s not that difficult. Pretty much everything about Elnor is adorable, which makes it very easy to forgive him for things.)

In lieu of an answer, Elnor shoots him a triumphant grin and the holodeck doors slide open.

Hugh’s senses are instantly filled with the sights and sounds of a fairground. Carnival music spills out as families stroll by and children shout and laugh. Colourful alien characters staff rides, stalls and games. He can smell foods he can’t identify, and there’s a giant circular ride off to one side with a sign proclaiming it to be a ‘ferris wheel.'

Hugh takes several steps forward into the holographic sunlight and feels a gentle breeze ruffle his hair. Elnor follows him in.

“I can’t give you the childhood you deserve,” he says. “But I can give you an afternoon of the fun you should’ve had as a child.”

Hugh looks up into Elnor’s chocolate brown eyes and a lump forms in his throat.

He already feels so grateful that this beautiful young man chose to befriend someone like him, but this is taking kindness and compassion to a new level.

Before he can figure out what to say, Elnor is already heading towards the first game.

“I know this one!” Elnor calls over his shoulder. “I’ll show you how to play!”

Hugh takes a deep breath, blinks a few times, and follows him.

The game requires throwing balls at little metal cut-outs of spaceships and trying to knock them over. Surprisingly, it’s harder than it looks. Maybe that’s why it’s so satisfying every time he manages to knock one down. Elnor’s aim is excellent and his arm is strong, which is no surprise. When he wins a small fluffy, pink gormagander, he gives it to Hugh.

They move onto the next game, and the next one. They should be inane, these simple tests of skill, and yet for some reason Hugh is smiling more than he has in a very long time. When he wins a plush grey tabby cat, he gives it to a delighted Elnor.

They try a variety of fried foods that taste delicious even though it seems like they really shouldn’t.

Elnor stops at a stall where a purple-skinned woman is spinning sugar into some kind of fluffy candy that looks like a cloud on a stick.

“One, please,” Elnor says to her.

“Are you sure that’s even food?” Hugh asks, lips quirking.

“It’s kids’ food,” Elnor says. He accepts the treat from the woman and takes a bite of the sugar cloud, then passes it to Hugh.

Hugh is dubious but he takes a bite, even though it feels like he has to stick his whole face in it to actually get a mouthful.

The fluff quickly dissolves on his tongue, filling his mouth with sweetness.

“That is the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever eaten,” Hugh grins, and Elnor grins back.

“You’ve got some on your face,” Elnor says. He rubs at the wisp of sugar, his thumb grazing the scars on Hugh’s cheek in the process.

“Do they hurt?” Elnor asks, graceful lips turning down in a small frown.

It takes Hugh a moment to process the question—his skin is still tingling from where Elnor touched him.

“No,” he reassures him.

“Good,” Elnor responds, his smile returning. He licks the traces of candy from his thumb and Hugh’s stomach does something funny. Must be all the sugar.

Next, they head to the rides. Elnor whoops and hollers as the various contraptions spin them in every direction. Hugh’s not sure they necessarily fit his definition of fun, but he’s still glad to have tried them.

It’s getting late in the day when Elnor turns to him and says, “Now you have to break a rule.”

Hugh slows his step. “What?”

“It’s classic adolescent behaviour,” Elnor explains, like it’s obvious. He looks around until his gaze falls on the top prize of the closest stall, a huge plush targ. “Steal that.”

“I can’t even reach that,” Hugh says, looking up at the toy.

Elnor glances around covertly, then jumps up and snatches the toy down from the top shelf. He shoves it into Hugh’s arms then takes off at light speed across the fairground, robe flapping behind him as he leaps over obstacles.

“Hey!” shouts the burly Klingon stall owner, “give that back!”

Despite the fact that it’s all holographic, adrenaline floods Hugh’s veins. He races after Elnor, the stall owner yelling the whole time about what ‘dishonourable thieves’ they are.

He finally catches up with Elnor under the shade of a big tree.

“Elnor, what the hell?” he puffs, but he’s laughing at the same time.

Elnor flops down on the soft green grass beneath the tree. “Was that fun?”

Hugh sits down beside him. “That was… way more fun than it should have been,” he admits.

Elnor leans back on his hands, looking entirely too pleased with himself.

“Surely you didn’t break rules as a child, though?” Hugh asks.

“All the time,” Elnor assures him, “for a while anyway.” The setting sun casts golden highlights onto his long, black hair. “You don’t get a robust moral compass by never testing it.”

It’s so easy to think of Elnor as an open book, but he clearly has layers Hugh is yet to discover.

Once they’ve caught their breaths, Elnor stands and pulls Hugh to his feet. Hugh’s hand tingles like his cheek did earlier but he tries to ignore it. He offers the targ to a passing child, who gleefully relieves him of it.

The ferris wheel that’s been in their peripheral vision all day is now in front of them.

“We should do this thing before we go,” Elnor says, looking up at it.

The stately pace of the giant, turning wheel looks just like what Hugh is in the mood for right now.

The Andorian running the ride waves them on. Hugh slides in beside Elnor and they slowly start to ascend.

The higher they get, the further they can see. The last of the sunset smudges faded orange across the horizon, while the rest of the sky turns purple-blue and the first stars begin to appear. The tiny lights of hundreds of houses shine from the gently rolling hills spread out around them.

Hugh takes in the view. With Elnor warm against his side, he thinks this might be the happiest he’s ever been in his life.

“I didn’t realise it would be so beautiful up here,” Elnor murmurs, “how romantic it would feel.” He turns to Hugh. “I could kiss you, if you like.”

Hugh’s heart _pounds_ in his chest.

“Because making out would be classic adolescent behaviour?” he asks, his tone much lighter than he feels.

“No. Because I really like you and I want to,” Elnor answers honestly.

Just when Hugh thought this day couldn’t be any more perfect.

“I… really like you, too,” Hugh says, feeling his cheeks warm.

He’s never said those words to someone before, and they feel painfully vulnerable and awkward to say out loud, but he’s trying to be as brave as Elnor.

The soft look of affection on the young man’s face makes it all worthwhile.

He tips Hugh’s chin up with long, gentle fingers, and presses their lips together.

Elnor’s lips are impossibly soft. They taste like the fluffy cloud candy from earlier.

Hugh’s been kissed before, but never like this. Never with so much tenderness and… affection (he doesn’t dare let himself use the word ‘love’).

Hugh’s hand finds Elnor’s shoulder, but somehow it’s not enough, so he slides it up to the sensitive skin on the side of his neck. From here his thumb can brush along that perfectly sculpted jawline. He gets a soft hum of pleasure for his trouble.

Hugh thinks he could probably do this forever, but all too soon they reach the ground. Hugh holds onto Elnor’s hand as they step down onto solid ground because his legs are wobbly, and because he wants to.

They stroll slowly back towards the holodeck entrance.

“Thank you, Elnor. Today was… amazing,” Hugh says, words utterly failing to capture how much this has all meant to him.

“There’s no need to thank me,” Elnor says, making their joined hands swing. “I had fun too, and it fills me with joy to see you happy.”

“You’re a very special person, Elnor.” Hugh really doesn’t understand how he got this lucky.

They hesitate at the door, neither one of them wanting their day together to be over.

Then Elnor thinks of something.

“The holodeck has a zoo program as well. Do you want to do that one tomorrow?”

Hugh smiles. “I’d love to.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this at all, kudos and comments really make my day :)


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